Friday, October 16, 2009

Rolls Royce, Jaguar and Dorotheum, OH MY! - M. Joseph Miller II.

Some may never have an opportunity to enjoy life in a fashion that God has allowed me, does it take a couple of hundred thousand dollars, a few million or more? For some these glorious experiences will never come....but if your smart and ambitious you too can enjoy the luxuries of the middle class...well the Upper Middle-Class! I bring you an event that occurs every year in Europe, among many for auto enthusiests.

Dorotheum Auction at the Classic Expo, Salzburg, 17 October 2009

Dorotheum, the Vienna-based auction house established in 1707 and now the largest in Central Europe, is once again holding a sale at the Classic Expo in Salzburg, Austria. ‘Vintage Cars, Automobilia and Motorcycles’ will see 500 lots coming under the hammer on 17 October.

In the car category, an Aston Martin DB2 built in 1952 and kept in traditional British Racing Green guarantees an enthusiastic reception. When new, it was displayed at the Earls Court Motor Show and later went on to race at Goodwood. It carries an estimate of 130,000 – 140,000 euros. A light-metallic-green Triumph TR2 is another rarity. Its distinctive feature is the coupé conversion, a modification which the Belgian Imperia company carried out only 22 times. Named after the Francorchamps racetrack, the coupé features a top with removable Plexiglas section and a luxurious leather interior with four seats (estimate 36,000 – 42,000 euros).

Some 50 motorcycles will also be looking for new owners at this Dorotheum auction, including an NSU Konsul II (estimate 7000 – 9000 euros), the crowning achievement of the famous German manufacturer founded in 1901. The M.G.F. Triumph Fiddaman was originally purchased as a new experimental model in 1969 by racer Jean Bouquin, who ran it in 500 and 650 classes until 1975 (estimate 22,000 – 28,000 euros). Meanwhile, opening at the sensational starting bid of just 1 euro, is a 1907 motorcycle by Presto that was discovered only this year in Belgium and, for reasons of authenticity, simply cleaned and conserved. Research suggests it could be the last of its kind in Europe. The Dorotheum car expert Ernst Pilger describes it as "a jewel in original condition complete with its patina".To enjoy the last rays of the autumn sun in fine style, there’s always the iconic Jaguar E-type, a 3.8-litre, 210HP model. Said to be in excellent condition, it carries an estimate of 70,000 – 80,000 euros.

The auction also features around 400 lots of automobilia, from various publications to a child's bobsleigh by Porsche dating from the 1960s, as well as a selection of bonnet ornaments. One such item, never used and now behind glass, is a Rolls-Royce ‘Schneider Trophy’ SB6 seaplane dating from 1929-1931 (starting price 4000 euros).